Twitter mocks Saudi editor over #Qataristomach remarks

Social media users mock journalist after he says Qataris will struggle to adjust to Turkish and Iranian cuisine.

13 Jun 2017 01:29 GMT

The hashtag #Qataristomach went viral as users flooded the social network with memes [Twitter]

Twitter users in the Middle East have mocked the editor-in-chief of a Saudi newspaper after he suggested Qataris would struggle to adjust to Turkish and Iranian food following a blockade imposed on Doha.

During an interview on the Saudi-owned TV channel Al-Arabiya, Jamil al-Ziabi, the editor of Okaz, said Qataris would cave in to their neighbours' demands as "Qatari stomachs would not be able to get used to Turkish and Iranian products".

"I am really worried because I don't believe Qatari stomachs can get used to such products so quickly," Ziabi said.

In the biggest diplomatic crisis in the region in years, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain cut all ties with Qatar and imposed a land, air and sea embargo against it last Monday, accusing it of supporting "terrorism". Qatar, which relies heavily on food imports, denies the charges.

The moves raised fears of a food crisis in Qatar as most of its supplies come from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Within 24 hours of the ban, Turkey sent cargo planes full of milk, yoghurt and poultry to circumvent the potential for any food shortages during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Iran has also sent several planes with food, including fruit and vegetables.

Hundreds of social media users took to Twitter to poke fun at Ziabi's comments, with the Arabic hashtag #QatariStomach the number-one trending topic in Qatar.